Adams, Igboho rift worsens as Ooni’s peace move fails

Adams, Igboho rift worsens as Ooni’s peace move fails

A peace move by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to reconcile the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, and Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho), has broken down.

The two leaders have been at loggerheads, following an alleged  leaked telephone conversation between Adams and another person on Igboho.

Igboho, in a letter dated March 25, 2024 through his lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, demanded an immediate retraction of what he described as “scandalous, malicious and defamatory statement” made against him by Adams.

He also demanded that within 48 hours, the Aare should publish in two national publications that he falsely accused him or be ready to pay a damage of N10 billion.

But Adams warned that his silence should not be taken as cowardice on the alleged defamation of character.

He said the allegations were deliberate efforts by some individuals to drag his name in the mud.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding the alleged audio clips, Adams said he was ready to set the records straight on the alleged defamation.

He said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, that the ongoing suit by Igboho and the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Tayo Ayinde, was a grand conspiracy to discredit him.

Adams said, “The reason for my silence in the midst of the various legal and media infractions by Igboho and Ayinde was not because I am a coward, but because of the initial interventions of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, other prominent Obas and several other important personalities in Yorubaland.

“But with the ongoing lies and aspersions against my person, I think it is time for me to come out open and set the record straight.

“Though my legal team have done what was required of them, I need to state it clearly that the audio clip generating the squabbles was a distorted and disjointed content of a private conversation which held way back in 2021 with a US-based younger brother of a friend.

“The conversation was initiated by the young man who claimed he wanted a reconciliation between myself, Igboho and some other people. It was while responding on reasons for reconciliation at the time that he mentioned the names of the two people.”

“In the said audio, I said it repeatedly that though it was very difficult to believe, there’s an unconfirmed rumour allegedly linking Igboho to the murder of the late Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.

“My statement was not done in bad faith and it was purely a private conversation. It is surprising how a private conversation held almost four years ago would suddenly turn up in the hands of Igboho.

“To discerning minds, it is obvious that Igboho unlawfully invaded my privacy, bugged a private conversation and inappropriately used the same on several social media platforms.

“Before now, precisely in early March, the same people had bombarded the media space about my heritage. The same people had claimed I was of Tapa, Nupe extraction. In another breath, they alleged that I requested the sum of N20 billion from the organisers of the Yoruba Security Conference, held in Ile Ife, Osun state on 29 February, 2024.

“They followed up these dastardly acts by invading and intruding on my privacy. My legal team are presently working on all these.

“However, on the issue of my brother, Tayo Ayinde, let me make it clear here that I repeatedly said that whatever was said was a rumour that couldn’t be substantiated or made public. But for their sinister motives, it was Igboho that bugged my telephone, published and made it public.

“The picture has now become clearer that they resorted to the audio clip blackmail after they failed in their earlier attempt to rubbish my name.”